Athletics: Four year bans proposed for dopers

Longer ban will be introduce for offenses that include use of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and trafficking.

NORTH CAROLINA: Athletes guilty of serious doping offenses will be suspended for four years from 2015 under proposals being considered by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but there are no plans for a specific rule to ban offenders from the Olympics. Currently, athletes found guilty of a first major doping offense are handed a two-year ban with any subsequent positive test incurring a life-ban. The longer ban would be introduced for offenses that include the use of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, masking agents and trafficking. “It is clear there is a strong desire in the world of sport, from governments and within the anti-doping community to strengthen the sanction articles in the code,” said WADA President John Fahey. “This second draft has done that, doubling the length of suspension for serious offenders and widening the scope for anti-doping organizations to impose lifetime bans.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2012.